My friend Blaine (right) and I were excited to cheer on the Calgary Flames this past Saturday!

Calgarians are in fine spirits following the Calgary Flames' recent victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Many non-Calgarians may simply interpret Calgary's happy uproar as a large city of overly dedicated hockey fans cheering on their local team. But the joy and excitement we feel in Calgary right now goes far beyond hockey.

The Calgary Flames celebrate after Matt Stajan scores, taking the Flames into the lead over the Vancouver Canucks. Photo credit: Calgary Sun

Many of us are still in awe over the Flames' stunning performance this past Saturday night, where the courageous team showcased its determination and drive to overtake the Canucks 7-0, after being down 3-0 in the first period.

The Flames' recent success has erupted like an exploding volcano with little warning and suddenly all of Calgary is abuzz. All around the city, Flames flags, t-shirts, jerseys and signs proclaim the pride we have for our team as well as our high hopes as the Flames prepare for the second round of the 2015 NHL Playoffs. What has spurred this spectacular frenzy that we're all happily engulfed in? To fully understand this, you need to understand Calgarians.

Calgary is home to hard-working people who look out for one another and defy the odds to achieve our goals collectively. In 2013 when the rain poured down and flooded Calgary, we banded together to rise up and recover. We helped our neighbours in whatever ways were were able to and together we stood proud and tall as we overcame adversity.

With the recent recession due to the drop in the oil industry, we've seen some bleak days. The Calgary Flames' success has brought hope back to Calgary and represents our city's indestructible spirit. As the second round of the Playoffs commence, we will cheer loudly for the Calgary Flames because they represent a city of over a million individuals who are passionate about winning together and making dreams come true. Go Flames go!

Did You Know?

Following the Calgary Flames' win on Saturday, April 25th, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), who was playing a concert at the Jack Singer Concert Hall that evening, delighted their audience with a special treat. The CPO along with the CPO Choir, performed a rousing rendition of Carl Off's classic piece, "O Fortuna", with specially-written lyrics in honour of the Flames' triumph!

The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (cpo) and the CPo Choir delights their audience with a special version of Carl Off's "O Fortuna", in honour of the Calgary Flames' win over the vancouver canucks. Photo credit: CPO